MOTHER NATURE’S NATURAL HEALING GIFTS -
A-Z OF EVERYDAY FOODS AND THEIR AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS
The A-Z of Everyday Foods continues with a food which has been used for culinary and medicinal uses for thousands of years and is steeped in mythology.
It has numerous healing benefits from the treatment of intestinal worms to cancer prevention. This food is affectionately called “stinking rose” but more commonly known as Garlic.
Garlic is thought to have originated in Central Asia and has been noted as one of the earliest cultivated crops. The Ancient Egyptians worshipped Garlic and gave it to the slaves who built the great pyramids for strength, stamina and endurance and to protect them from disease.
Clay sculptures of Garlic have also been found in the tombs of the ancient Pharaohs dating back to 3,200 B.C. An Egyptian papyrus dating back from 1,500 B.C. recommends Garlic as a cure for over 22 common ailments, including heart disease, lack of stamina and tumours.
Other uses in history or mythology include: The Ancient Greek athletes competing in the earliest Olympic Games used Garlic to enhance their performance and early Greek soldiers were fed Garlic before going into battle to give them courage and increase the odds of victory.
In Korea it is recorded that the traditional six-clove black Garlic was given to women to bless them with supernatural powers and immortality.
In Christian mythology, after Satan vanished from the Garden of Eden, Garlic is said to have grown from his left footprint and onion grew from his right.
And here is one that you may have heard of – Garlic was used as an evil repellent to ward off vampires, werewolves and the like.
Garlic was used in many forms of Ancient Healing Systems such as Ayurvedic Medicine which mentions Garlic as a medicinal plant that was used to warm the body, cure digestive problems and improve blood circulation. Hippocrates, who is known to many as ‘The Father of Modern Medicine’ was said to use Garlic to treat cancerous tumours.
The French Chemist, Louis Pasteur, in 1858 validated the antiseptic properties of Garlic when he placed cloves of Garlic in a Petri dish full of bacteria and noticed a few days later that a bacteria-free area had surrounded each clove. Albert Schweitzer, in the early and mid-20th century, used Garlic in Africa to cure typhoid fever and cholera.
During the First World War, it was used as an antiseptic to fight infections such as gangrene. The juice of the Garlic was combined with peat moss to act as bandages for wounded soldiers. Russian and British armies, during the Second World War faced a shortage of penicillin and in its place they used diluted Garlic solutions to disinfect wounds. As a result Garlic is sometimes referred to by the nickname “Russian Penicillin”.
The botanical name for Garlic is Allium sativum and is a member of the Lily family and a cousin to onions, leeks and chives. It is grown in most countries around the world and until recently very little Garlic was produced commercially in Australia. The Australian Garlic Producers (AGP) was established in 1998 to grow and market fresh locally grown Garlic.
Today AGP is the largest grower and marketer of Australian grown Garlic and holds the exclusive licences for virus free garlic varieties from France. As mentioned on their website AGP imports in the region of 10,000 tonnes of Garlic per year for fresh consumption and processing.
Numerous scientific studies have been carried out and the findings include that Garlic may:
- Improve the outcome of coronary heart disease
- Lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels
- Reduce high blood pressure
- Promote circulation and sweating
- Protect blood cells and blood vessels from inflammatory and oxidative stress
- Help eliminate worms and yeast (Candida) infections
- Assist in the treatment and prevention of the Common Cold virus and other viruses and sinus headaches.
- Boost immune responses
- Act as a decongestant and expectorant agent
- Have Anti-inflammatory, Anti-Fungal, Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Viral Benefits
The National Cancer Institute recognises Garlic as one of several vegetables with potential anti-cancer properties. Because all Garlic preparations are not the same it mentions that it is difficult to determine the exact amount of Garlic that may be needed to reduce cancer risk.
The chemical composition of Garlic includes flavonoids, certain minerals, enzymes and the Vitamin B group including B1, B2 and B6. Garlic is a good source of protein, anti-oxidants and minerals like calcium, manganese, selenium, phosphorus and potassium and contains Vitamins A and C. It also has a number of powerful sulphur-containing compounds.
Garlic solutions are also used as repellents for bugs in the gardens and it is thought that when combined in your pet’s food can also help repel fleas and mosquitoes from dogs and cats.
Garlic is a wonderful addition to so many dishes and may be eaten raw or cooked, so it is easy to have a daily dose of this most beneficial healing food.
Yours in health,
Dedicated to Improving Your Wellbeing and Committed To Helping You Achieve Abundance
From the Team at the Hervey Bay Wellbeing, Anti-Aging and Longevity Centre
Sources:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/health/garlic.html
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/garlic-and-cancer-prevention
http://www.australiangarlic.com.au/about.html
Tags: Garlic, Garlic Benefits
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